Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a backspace/erase key for computer, electric typewriter, and other system keyboards, and more particularly, to an improved method for backspacing and erasing which is easier to use, more ergonomically effective, and permits a touch typist to erase mistakes without having to look at the keyboard.
2. Description of Prior Art
Modern day computer and electric typewriter keyboards containing a plurality of rows of alphanumeric keys have transformed the backspace key of the manual typewriter into a combined function of backspacing plus erasing. This has the advantage of automatically erasing mistakes as one backspaces and is generally considered by users to be an added convenience in typing.
Yet heretofore, with the standard computer or electric typewriter design, the backspace/erase key is located in the far upper right portion of the keyboard, and a touch typist who realizes he has made a mistake must avert his eyes from the copy to the keyboard in order to locate and use the key. Typically, the typist must
1) avert the eyes from the copy to the keyboard,
2) remove the hands from their accustomed location in touch typing position (FIG. 1).
3) locate and depress the backspace/erase key,
4) return hands to original position, and then
5) search the copy to find the proper location to begin inputting again.
This is not only an inconvenience but a waste of valuable time as well. Further, it adds to typist fatigue which can lead directly to lower efficiency and poorer quality work.
Some more recent keyboard designs 10 as shown in FIG. attempt to ameliorate this problem by enlarging the backspace/erase key 11 and moving it somewhat closer to the right little finger's resting location. These attempts have been only a minor improvement since the large "return" key 12 is located directly to the right of the right little finger and takes up most of the space which that finger can reach. Even with such designs, most users must still stretch somewhat uncomfortably to reach the backspace/erase key 11 and/or avert their eyes to locate it.
There is therefore, at present, no comfortable, easy means to backspace/erase mistakes made on computer or electronic typewriter keyboards without moving one's eyes off of the copy and onto the keyboard.